The National tribune., 1887-02-17
WHITE RRnNZE.

ence of our climate directed attention to the
condition of native stone work, and resulted in
the startling disclosure that the Sianitic Mono
lith was not the only instance of destruction
from this cause, but that the same process Of
disentegration was going on in every piece of
exposed stone Of whatever kind in the country.
The older monuments in various localities were
examined, and all with the same result. One
of the Oldest, the Worth Monument in New
York City, was found TO be dropping slowly
and steadily to pieces, and the deduction forced
upon the most competent scientific chemists
and mineralogists of the country was that we
have no monument in the United States made
of any kind Of stone that will probably last a
century in anything like its original condition.
The reason is that all stone is more or less por-
Gus. 1t absorbs the moisture of our humid cli-
mate, then the sudden changes in our tenn
perature cause this moisture TO CONCEAL, and we
see the result in the prying of of great fakes
from the exposed surface with lever that no
power can resist. The piece which falls away
leaves new surface exposed, which in turn
takes up the water in the air, and the freezing
and prying off of the fakes OF stone goes on
without interruption and with but one obvious
| end-the obliteration of inscriptions and final
ruin Of the work.
To the Grand Army Posts and kindred or
CARNATIONS which are almost daily erecting
| monuments with view TO the perpetuation of
the memory of fallen comrades and 10 mark
positions of various commands at Gettysburg
and other battlefelds, the discovery of the
| transient character Of the best stone for these
purposes opened up grave question.
These monuments are erected with view to
perpetuity, and without assurance of this OBJ
iect gained the work is next TO useless.
What, then, should be adopted TO take tho
place of the brownstone marble and granite
in use? Bronze was at once suggested, and
many of the older monuments of the country
were already Of that material. The old-fash-
Toned copper bronze however, was open TO the
objection that it constantly emitted verdigris
and soon assumed dirty color, presenting
dingy and uneven appearance, giving the work
an entirely different aspect from what it had
when designed.
A way out Of the difficulty was found by the
employment of what is known as White Bronze,
which is composed of refined zinc, imperishable
as the antique copper bronze, but incomparably
superior TO it in beauty and the Interchangeable
quality of its tint, which when finished re-
sembles the favorite hue of the best granite.
Knowing the great interest felt i'll this sub
ject by the Grand Army Posts and veteran
organizations contemplating the erection dur
ing the coming season of monuments at Get
tysburg, a member of the editorial staff OF
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE visited Bridgeport,
Conn, one day last week to make a personal
investigation Of the subject of White Bronze,
with view to reporting what was learned
about il.
The works of the Monumental Bronze Com
pany, where this White Bronze work is turned
out, were found TO present a complete and most
interesting exemplifcation OF the processes
employed in modern plastic art. Everything
ic sn aCfa
sketch of the designer TO the complete cast.
The modelers fashion the original in clay.
Then a mould is made of plaster From this a
delicate and perfect pattern is made in wax.
1t is then sent TO the foundry. Here dupli-
care pattern is made in metal, if the work is
important, and from this the cast is made in
moulten zinc. Then il goes 10 the finishing
department, where, after dressing and adjusting
the parts the steam sand blast puts on the final
finish and the work is done till the end of time,
immutable and indestructible.
The proprietors of the Monumental Company
courteously extended every facility for investi-
cation when the object of the visit was ex-
planned, and exhibited Endorsements and GER
tifcates by the hundred from the leading
chemists and mineralogists of the day. These
gentlemen certify unhesitatingly that the
metal used by the company is beyond
question the one absolutely indestructible
material available for the work. Gold and
/
are, of course, too expensive TO be employ
cd in such masses as are demanded for great
outdoor monuments. These scientific investi-
gators all agree that no stone, either granite,
marble or any other, are comparable TO il for
the properties desired. They unite in the
verdict that il is not porous while all stone is
J TO greater or less degree; that il is without
assures, which is not true of stone that it will
} not crack by exposure to heat or cold, while
stone will; that it cannot absorb moisture,
while stone does; that fungi and lichens can
not grow upon il, while they do on all stone
that Ii will not fade or grow darker, but retain
its natural hue, while stone does not; that the
/ inscriptions will remain legible forever upon
it, while in stone they are constantly wearing
away by the action Of the elements; that ID
will not crumble or change its character in any
way by the lapse of time
1t was learned that the company has erected
some % 900 monuments Of various kinds In the
T country. Among them are those for G. H
! Huntley Post, GAR, Mason City, Iowa; Sol
der Monument Association, Defiance, o.; Sol
dier Monument Association, Mauch Chunk
Pa; Lieut.-Col Henry Merritt Camp, s. S. OF
v, Salem, Mass. Clarence ID. Mckenzie por-
trait statue and pedestal, erected in Greenwood
, Cemetery, n. Y, by the Drum and Bugle Corps
18th n. Y, and Mishawaka Soldier Monument
Association, Mishawaka, Ind.
Besides the Monumental Bronze Co. al
Bridgeport Conn, there are several other White
Bronze factories in operation now, viz: the
: American White Bronze Co., Chicago, H.; the
: Western White Bronze Co. at Des Moines
Iowa. and the st. Thomas White Bronze Mon.
q ument Co. at ST. Thomas Ont.
Another element not 10 be lost sight Of II
Q the relative cost Of this material. The White
Bronze costs from % to so per cent less than
| granite, and the more elaborate the design the
I greater the difference in favor of the bronze
/ The company has erected during the past year
/ over 100000 worth of work.